


Might Have

by PFL (msmoat)



Category: The Professionals
Genre: Established Relationship, M/M, Older Lads
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-10-18
Updated: 2015-10-18
Packaged: 2018-04-27 00:34:55
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 434
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/5026861
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/msmoat/pseuds/PFL
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Doyle is haunted by what might have been.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Might Have

Doyle hadn’t intended to watch the lunar eclipse, despite all the talk about not seeing another like it until 2032. It was interesting and beautiful, of course. but not worth getting up at three in the morning—or whatever bloody time it was. But when he had had to get up anyway, and had glanced out the window, he’d been drawn outside to the garden. And there it was, the bright, full moon—a ‘supermoon’—its light diminishing as the earth’s shadow was cast upon it, turning it into a blood moon. What must ancient humans have thought as they watching the shadow grow, the sinister change in colour and light? At least he knew it was an eclipse and it would pass. It wasn’t a harbinger of blood and death. Not in 2015.

_“Go, Go!”_

_Doyle raced towards the farm house, convulsively gripping the Uzi, heart pounding, fear clogging his throat—not for himself, but for Bodie. Too long—they’d had to wait too long. Winters had no reason to keep Bodie alive. And if he was alive, would he survive the assault? They could be killing him now. Please, please, please—_

He shivered, engulfed in a cold that had nothing to do with the temperature. He remembered hope and fear that had gagged him—thirty-three years ago. December. A blood moon that they wouldn’t see, and a gamble they’d chanced. It was the might-have-been that haunted him still.

_“Pray for cloud cover. It’s all you’ll have for the assault.”_

_Smashed windows, doors; multiple entries. Doyle opened fire, as the others did. Kill them, but be careful—what if he’s alive? What if_ this _killed him? Bodie. Bodie! Light flooded the room, he ripped off the night goggles. Blood, so much blood. Too much. Should have told him, should have told him, should have—_

Two arms wrapped around him, pulling him back against a broad chest. Doyle relaxed, and the ghosts fled on his sigh. “What the hell are you doing out here?” Bodie’s breath tickled his ear.

Doyle smiled a little. “Celebrating.”

“Without me?” Bodie’s hold tightened, telling Doyle all he needed to know.

“I knew you’d come.” He put his hand over Bodie’s.

_“Ray... Knew you’d…”_

_Always and forever, Doyle vowed, gripping Bodie’s hand, afraid of injury. “Just stay with me, you bastard.”_

“Always.” Bodie rested his chin on Doyle’s shoulder. “But you’re making breakfast.”

“Demanding sod.” He’d make a full English, with a double portion of bacon. Just this once. 

They watched the eclipse, and when the moon’s light returned they walked hand-in-hand into their home.

The End  
October 2015

**Author's Note:**

> I started thinking about this little snippet when I heard, in the September 2015 coverage of the lunar eclipse, that the last "supermoon" eclipse had been December 30, 1982. Unfortunately, it wasn't visible in the UK. Fortunately, the LJ community teaandswissroll offered up a Weekly Obbo Challenge prompt that nudged me in a slightly different direction: "haunted". And so a very short story was born.


End file.
